Overview

The School of the Environment has multidisciplinary teaching, research, and outreach programs which are focused on present and future environmental concerns. These programs promote efficient, environmentally safe, use of both natural and man-made resources; safeguard the health of humans and other species; and promote public policy, planning, management, and business as avenues for improvement of the environment. Special interests are: environmentally safe use of natural resources; sustainable development; geohazards; assessment and use or mitigation of hazardous, or environmentally sensitive, man-made materials or processes; use and protection of hydrologic systems, marine systems, and the coastal zone; and preservation and protection of ecologically sensitive or specially designated areas. The school draws on interdisciplinary strengths of its associated faculty in various departments and institutes of the University as well as on collaborative arrangements with other universities, public agencies, and the private sector. The school offers the Master of Earth and Environmental Resources Management (M.E.E.R.M.) degree and the J.D./M.E.E.R.M. dual degree, which are administered by a coordinating committee to assist students in developing programs of study with the school's associated faculty. Collaborative projects with the public and private sectors are encouraged.

The following School of the Environment faculty have appointments in other departments and are listed below by these affiliations.

Department of Government and International StudiesAnn Bowman, Ph.D., University of Florida, 1979
Mark E. Tompkins, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 1981
David P. Whiteman, Ph.D., University of North Carolina, 1980
Laura Woliver, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, 1986

Overview

The Earth and Environmental Resources Management program emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach toward efficient, environmentally safe use of both depletable and renewable resources of natural earth systems within the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere and toward assessment and use or mitigation of environmentally sensitive materials or processes resulting from mans interaction with natural earth systems. The program draws on interdisciplinary strengths in geological, biological, marine, and human resources as well as on interdisciplinary environmental disciplines in engineering, chemistry, health sciences, and on business administration and economics.

The Earth and Environmental Resources Management program is administered by an interdisciplinary coordinating committee on behalf of the dean of the School of the Environment. The coordinating committee reviews curriculum needs and assists in the development and coordination of interdisciplinary course offerings. This program is designed to provide individually tailored curricula, particularly for people interested in administrative posts dealing with earth and environmental resources as well as for current college graduates with relevant experience.

This interdisciplinary program provides courses in earth and environmental resources to reinforce the scientific or technical knowledge of the participantsand courses in management, finance, accounting, and economics to develop administrative skills. Generally, additional electives in geological, biological, marine, and health sciences; geography; chemistry; engineering; policy; law; and international relations are available to meet specific career objectives. Individual course programs are developed with an interdisciplinary committee chaired by an appropriate advisor in the department that most closely matches the students interests and background.

Degrees Offered

M.E.E.R.M. Degree Program

The Master of Earth and Environmental Resources Management (M.E.E.R.M.) degree is offered through the School of the Environment.

Admission

Requirements for admission conform with general regulations of The Graduate School including satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examination and successful academic performance at an accredited institution. International applicants must obtain a score of 570 (230 computer-based score) on the TOEFL. Attention will be given not only to the applicants academic record but also to relevant scientific and administrative experience.

Requests for further information should be addressed to: Program Coordinator, Earth and Environmental Resources Management Program, School of the Environment, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208.

Degree Requirements

This master's degree program is focus-based on students' backgrounds and interests. Electives are available in geological, biological, marine, and environmental health sciences; geography; chemistry and biochemistry; chemical, civil, and environmental engineering; environmental law; policy; and business administration, based on the background and needs of the student. At least one-third of the course work must be in earth and environmental resources and at least one-third in management, finance, and economics, but no more than 50 percent in either field. Students will be required to complete six hours of integrative seminars. Courses exist in business administration for graduate students with nonbusiness backgrounds. Students will be required to demonstrate sufficient background in one or more fields, gained by academic study or experience, to qualify for graduate courses in earth or environmental resources.

The program requires a total of 36 credit hours, which includes six hours of thesis credit for those students who elect a thesis or, with dean's approval, six hours of approved electives in lieu ofa thesis. There is no foreign language requirement.

It is expected that students with demonstrated course work in earth or environmental resources and pertinent experience should be able to complete the program in two years.

J.D./M.E.E.R.M. Dual Degree Program

The School of the Environment in cooperation with the USC School of Law and The Graduate School offers a dual degree program. The dual degree program, the Master of Earth and Environmental Resources Management (M.E.E.R.M.) and law degree (J.D.), permits students to complete the joint program in approximately four years. Through the combined program, the total course load may be reduced by as many as 18 credit hours from that required if the two degrees were earned separately, since up to nine hours of electives toward the M.E.E.R.M. degree may be taken in approved law courses and nine hours of electives toward the J.D. may be earned in the M.E.E.R.M. program.

The combined J.D./M.E.E.R.M. program requires that students be accepted independently into each of the programs, that the students begin their first year with courses exclusively in the School of Law, and that the remaining years be divided between the two programs. Upon acceptance by both programs, students must complete a dual degree form. Acceptance into one program does not affect the decision of the other school with regards to admission. Upon admission to the dual degree program, the student must select electives from an approved list of courses.

Course Descriptions

By design, no core curriculum is specified except the two required integrative seminars to be taken from the following courses:

GEOL 744 -- Decision Making in Energy Resource Management. (3) An integrative seminar for science managers. Consideration of the technical, managerial, and financial aspects of decision making in geologic enterprises, with emphasis on hydrocarbon exploration.

Additional course offerings will be tailored to the individual's interests and background of experience and education. Students will enroll in existing courses in the School of the Environment; geological, biological, or marine sciences; chemical, civil, or environmental engineering; environmental health; chemistry or biochemistry; geography; business administration; and other disciplines. The integrative seminars serve the purpose of relating science and nonscience subject matter. A program of study will be developed with the students interdisciplinary committee according to the guidelines established by the coordinating committee and will be approved by the students advisor and by the program coordinator. Theses will be supervised by an appropriate advisor and interdisciplinary committee based on the students research topic. For thesis credit and directed individual study courses, the students may take the following courses:

The following course is available as an elective through the School of the Environment:

ENVR 725 -- International Environmental Management Systems. (3) International environmental management systems standards will be integrated with business planning to provide students with the best strategies for future growth in today's environmentally sensitive global economy.